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7
opposition to the various schemes, being of opinion that it
was to the interest of the public that electric lighting should
be encouraged under proper restrictions, and to confine itself
to making a representation of its views to the Board of Trade
so soon as the draft orders and license should be forthcoming.
Copies of these were shortly afterwards deposited, and in
February a special meeting was, pursuant to the rules of the
Board of Trade, convened to consider the applications. It
was then formally resolved that. subject to a representation
being made to the Board of Trade, the consent of the Board
should be given to the several applications. The terms of
such representation were then settled, and comprised, inter
alia, the following That the number and
sions of the distributing boxes to be inserted in the footways
should be strictly defined and limited—that the surface plates
should consist of a stone covering in an iron frame—that all
wires for the conveyance of electricity should be placed underground—that
local authorities should be invested with similar
powers for reinstatement of roads after trenches to those which
they possess in the case of gas and water companies, and that
in the event of concessions to more than one company the
district should be apportioned, a separate portion being allotted
to each, unless the competing companies could be required to
lay their wires in the same trench or channel. These terms
were also forwarded to each of the three companies, and, after
some negotiation, the House-to-House Company came to
terms, agreeing substantially to the requirements of the
Board, and the draft license was altered accordingly. The
other two companies, however, held aloof, and the consent
given in their case was therefore withdrawn. In March the
Board of Trade ordered a Public Inquiry to be held, and
appointed Major Marindin its Commissioner, who, on the 9th
May, reported in favour of the London Company to the
exclusion of the other two so far as this district is concerned,
and a model order has since been promulgated which is in
tended to apply to Electric Supply Companies generally
throughout the Metropolis. This order provides, amongst